Social Commentary & A Bit Of Poetry On The Side

Menu

Once More, Into The Breach

I’ve recently rediscovered that it’s the small things in life that truly bring me joy. Such as the ability to breathe through both nostrils.

I spent the last six days mostly asleep, battling one of the most debilitating cases of the flu that I’ve ever had. That’s not hyperbole; when you find that you must dress up in flannel and long pants in order to feed the horses, and it’s in the 90’s outside, that’s when you know you’re sick.

At the beginning of last week (actually, the Friday before, to be precise), Norm and & accompanied his sister to the Champlain Valley Fair in order to assist her with the Horse Exhibit, which showcased different breeds of horses and their corresponding various uses and enjoyments. I’d been unaware of exactly the situation for this particular exhibit, and next year we’ll be better prepared. Thousands of visitors essayed through the tent, stopping to ask questions and pick up business cards, and to check out the horses we’d brought to exhibit. Next year we’ll be bringing Flair, our Blue Roan Stallion, who, it turns out, is in very high demand as a sire. ($$$!!!) Good thing we didn’t have him gelded. 😉 This year, however, we’d only brought Norm’s sister’s pony and Appendix (a horse breed, not the unneeded organ) Bay Roan Mare (daughter of our brood mare, Natasha), but the exposure and contacts made were exceptionally helpful. Business cards flew out of the basket almost as quickly as we could replace them.

Flare is going to be a busy, and probably happy, Stallion in the coming months. No pun intended.

On Tuesday I returned to work to find that my boss was out sick with pneumonia. Not to be outdone, my body proceeded to find the worst possible virus it could and planted it firmly in my chest. By Wednesday morning I had acquired a cough that could not be attributed entirely to my nicotine addiction. By Wednesday afternoon my employees were urging me–at arm’s length–to go home. Thursday morning I awoke in a cold sweat, coughing loudly enough to scare the nesting birds outside, nose dripping, and thought a shower would do me a world of good. After almost fainting in the shower I decided to call in sick. By Thursday afternoon I was dizzy every time I tried to even sit upright, opened the drawer with the Nyquil, and surrendered to blissful sleep. On Friday we were supposed to return to the fair to show Norm’s sister’s minis, but my body was having none of it. I called in sick again to work and slept about 20 of the next 24 hours.

This morning I finally felt well enough to leave the house, and surprise!! Just in time to return to work.